Challenge: Save Xbox

[anonpuffs]

Here's a discussion prompt just for funsies:

The year is 2024. The FTC and CMA have indicated that they have decided to block the acquisition of Activision-Blizzard barring some very draconian concessions that Satya Nadella has decided would make the acquisition completely worthless. Worse still, gamepass has missed its growth target for the 3rd year in a row, only growing 10% instead of the target 25%. As a result, the Microsoft Board is planning to wind down the gaming division and spin off Xbox and related assets for cash. Phil Spencer is fired and you have been hired as interim CEO.

Your job is to put together a pitch to a potential buyer with a plan to turn around the company and compete with Sony and Nintendo by 2030.

Who do you approach and how do you pitch them a turnaround for Xbox?

 

[Gods&Monsters]

No, take them out back

 

[anonpuffs]

No, take them out back

 

[Alabtrosmyster]

Put Shu in charge of the studios?

 

[Vertigo]

I can save Halo but I won’t do it.

Start by making MCC PvP f2p. Make all the campaigns 10$ a pop. Port to all platforms.

That’s a start

 

[Deleted member 417]

If I were put in charge of Xbox today, here's what I would do:

• Fire arron greenburg
• Fire Phil Spencer
• Cancel the Activision purchase
• Cease production of Series S
• Hire Mark Cerny to make me a Handheld X-deck and to get work on the Xbox 5
• Publicly apologise for the lack of games
• Have an open and honest presentation about the roadmap of all games in the works and their release dates
• Use Activision money to bring massive bangers to gamepass
• Restructure gamepass to be a B/AA testing/proving ground for Xbox studios. Start making home grown talent.
• Release a new tier of Gamepass that includes all single-player DLC for every game pass game and selected multiplayer games
• Focus on making the Series X manufacturing as Lean as possible to drive maximum savings per unit.
• Lower the price of the Series X

Some of those choices would be unpopular, but right now Microsoft needs that sudden, jarring, visible change in direction. Show the gaming community and xbox fans that a mistake has been made (Fluff it up with pr language of course) and move forward on the strongest foot forward.

Kaz Hirai took responsibility for the PS3 and apologised for how bad it was. He then went and built the PS4, on a shoe string budget and future proofed it with VR. that console sold upwards of 120 million units and changed the fortunes of Sony. Microsoft need to do the same.

Microsoft, if you are reading this, drop me a DM. I work as a consultant reversing the fortunes of companies and I am damn good at it. I would love to take a crack at doing the same in the gaming space, as it is a hobby I love.

 

[Remember_Spinal]

Just make good games. Its like they focus on and talk about everything but putting out great games.

 

[Swift_Star]

they have two things they should do:
First, find an identity.
What is your audience? What different experiences your console offers?
Sony and Nintendo has niches in their exclusives and people know what to expect.
Xbox, on the other hand has no identity.
Second: make good games according to that identity.

 

[AshHunter216]

Losing the deal won't make Xbox die.

 

[anonpuffs]

Losing the deal won't make Xbox die.

Right, because in this scenario you're going to come up with a plan to find a company to acquire them and reboot the business, then post it here.

 

[AshHunter216]

Right, because in this scenario you're going to come up with a plan to find a company to acquire them and reboot the business, then post it here.

Y'all are getting too cocky with these threads, I'm a Playstation fan, but this gen could still go either way at this point.

 

[anonpuffs]

Y'all are getting too cocky with these threads, I'm a Playstation fan, but this gen could still go either way at this point.

Relax, it's a discussion prompt, not a prediction of the future.

 

[BigMclargeHuge]

Replacing Phil with someone competent would be a good start.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

can you make a turd taste good?

 

[Alabtrosmyster]

Y'all are getting too cocky with these threads, I'm a Playstation fan, but this gen could still go either way at this point.

Yes, I honestly agree, but so far MS has not delivered the goods and it's starting to hurt their sales. So it seems that they are not focusing on the right things, they are not bringing anything to the industry or their clients (if they were to get Activision other than potentially blocking third party releases from going to Sony's consoles the xbox clients are not getting anything new).

It seems MS can't run a studio.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

Y'all are getting too cocky with these threads, I'm a Playstation fan, but this gen could still go either way at this point.

i dont think so.
maybe next gen

 

[Bryank75]

My 'plan'

Phil will be given a sainthood and then elevated later to our lord of Xbox

I vote to embrace the more cultish elements of the fandom, completely lean into it.

Build churches across the world or buy Christian churches and just push the cross over slightly so it resembles an X.

Instead of Christmas, the Xbox nation will officially celebrate Black Friday as the day of our lord Phil Spencer.

Everybody that walks by one of the places of worship will be an ecosystem user and contribute to MAU's.

Try to avoid controversies by moving executives around whenever they are called into question on any matter.... although this is already being done (see Sarah Bond and Joseph Staten)

Hide all wrongdoings behind tightly controlled PR and call anyone investigating or criticizing Xbox a blasphemer and devil worshiper.

Simple really.

 

[Sircaw]

No 1- I would stop using people like Dealer +Colteastwood as propaganda mouthpieces for the company.
No 2- Invest heavily in creating their own studios/talent from the ground up.
No 3- Faithfully remake some of the best older games ever created, Blood, Hexen, Quake, Diablo, Thief, and Heretic.
No 4- Be more transparent showing roadmaps and release dates,
No 5- Remove Phil spencer, and promote him out to an office somewhere in Alaska.
No 6- Give Halo the Respect it needs, get hold of HBO, and give them 200 million to make a proper series.
No 7- Stop trying to punish gamers by buying fan-favorite franchises and making them exclusive.
No 8- Stop Greenburg and Jez from using Twitter.

 

[TubzGaming]

No 1- I would stop using people like Dealer +Colteastwood as propaganda mouthpieces for the company.
No 2- Invest heavily in creating their own studios/talent from the ground up.
No 3- Faithfully remake some of the best older games ever created, Blood, Hexen, Quake, Diablo, Thief, and Heretic.
No 4- Be more transparent showing roadmaps and release dates,
No 5- Remove Phil spencer, and promote him out to an office somewhere in Alaska.
No 6- Give Halo the Respect it needs, get hold of HBO, and give them 200 million to make a proper series.
No 7- Stop trying to punish gamers by buying fan-favorite franchises and making them exclusive.
No 8- Stop Greenburg and Jez from using Twitter.

9: Stop taking influencer's out to big group-hug meals. (Might be a small budget for that but its a waste of money nonetheless.)

 

[Sircaw]

9: Stop taking influencer's out to big group-hug meals. (Might be a small budget for that but its a waste of money nonetheless.)

Are you trying to stop @Elder Legend from getting a hot meal,